Home > Permanent Residence > Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) > Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) > AAIP - Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE)
The guide below takes a deep look into one of the streams of Alberta's Provincial Nominee Program (AAIP), the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE). The guide will go through an overview of the stream, its eligibility requirements, how it works, the documentation needed, its cost and processing times.
Overview of the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE)
The Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE) is one of Alberta's PNP streams that is dedicated to foreign graduate entrepreneurs outside Canada who would like to establish a business in the province.
When receiving a nomination under the FGE, candidates can then apply for Permanent Residence to the federal government of Canada. |
This stream is not aligned with Express Entry, which means that candidates cannot take advantage of the 6-month average processing times of Express Entry. Processing times of Provincial Nominee Programs (not aligned with Express Entry) are usually longer and take at least 1 year.
The FGE has minimum eligibility requirements, however, the AAIP does not send Invitations to Apply to every candidate that meets these minimum criteria. Each candidate, when entering the system, has a score (up to 200 points) that depends on multiple factors (explained in detail in the Eligibility Requirements section). In fact, the AAIP selects candidates with the highest scores.
The FGE has minimum eligibility requirements, however, the AAIP does not send Invitations to Apply to every candidate that meets these minimum criteria. Each candidate, when entering the system, has a score (up to 200 points) that depends on multiple factors (explained in detail in the Eligibility Requirements section). In fact, the AAIP selects candidates with the highest scores.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligible and ineligible businesses
To be eligible to the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE), the proposed business must align with the following general requirements:
Some types of businesses are not eligible for the FGE:
Minimum criteria and FGE 200-Point Grid:
There are minimum criteria that have to be met in order to be eligible to the FGE stream. You need to:
To be eligible to the Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream (FGE), the proposed business must align with the following general requirements:
- The business plan or pitch deck must indicate the proposed business is connected to one of the following sectors: technology, aerospace, financial services, energy, agriculture, tourism, life sciences, and pharmaceuticals.
- The purpose must be to make a profit from active or earned income, not passive income, through the sale of goods and/or services.
- The proposed business must comply with any applicable federal, provincial or municipal legal, regulatory or licensing requirements that govern its operation (including Alberta labour laws).
- The proposed business must comply with applicable trade certification requirements in Alberta.
- The proposed business must have a physical place of business in Alberta at all times.
- For franchises, the ownership requirements and all other program criteria are the same as for other businesses. Candidates must also provide evidence that they have received support from the master franchisor to operate a franchise location.
Some types of businesses are not eligible for the FGE:
- Any business in contravention of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations
- Businesses without a value-add economic component, including:
- pay day loan, cheque cashing and related businesses
- businesses trading in used goods
- Businesses that would be considered passive investment or lack active management, including: insurance brokerage or business brokerage
- Project based or seasonal businesses
- Home-based businesses, including:
- businesses that are not zoned for commercial or industrial operations
- bed-and-breakfasts and lodging houses
- Businesses that are part of a succession plan
- Businesses involved in producing, distributing or selling pornography or sexually explicit products or services, or providing sexually oriented services
- Any other type of business that by association would tend to bring the AAIP and the Government of Alberta into disrepute
Minimum criteria and FGE 200-Point Grid:
There are minimum criteria that have to be met in order to be eligible to the FGE stream. You need to:
- have a minimum of 6 months of full-time work experience that can be a combination of actively managing or owning a business or equivalent (equivalencies are work experience with business incubator or business accelerator),
- have completed, within the last 10 years, a bachelor's degree from a post-secondary institution outside of Canada with an Educational Credential Assessment (ECA),
- have a business plan with projected financials for your proposed business,
- have a 10-minute presentation (slides only) that outlines the proposed business venture and focuses on what an investor would want to see,
- have a minimum Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) level of 5 for each English or French language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking,
- have a minimum of 34% ownership if the proposed business is located in an urban centre or a minimum of 51% ownership if located in regional area outside Calgary and Edmonton Census Metropolitan Areas,
- invest a mandatory minimum of $100,000 for an urban centre or $50,000 for a regional area,
- demonstrate that you have the funds needed to set up the business and support yourself while on a work permit to launch the start-up (see required amounts below), and
- have a letter of recommendation from an AAIP-approved Designated Agency (see list below).
List of approved Designated Agencies
Empowered Startups
420-744 West Hastings
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6C 1A5
Phone: 604-229-1052
Fax: 604-229-2037
Website: empoweredstartups.com
Email: [email protected]
Platform Calgary
429 – 8 Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta
T2G 0L6
Phone: 403-284-6400
Website: https://www.platformcalgary.com/program/foreign-grad/
Email: [email protected]
420-744 West Hastings
Vancouver, British Columbia
V6C 1A5
Phone: 604-229-1052
Fax: 604-229-2037
Website: empoweredstartups.com
Email: [email protected]
Platform Calgary
429 – 8 Avenue SE
Calgary, Alberta
T2G 0L6
Phone: 403-284-6400
Website: https://www.platformcalgary.com/program/foreign-grad/
Email: [email protected]
Required settlement funds (in Canadian dollars) per population size of community
Number of family members | Less than 1,000 | 1,000 to 30,000 | 30,000 to 99,999 | 100,000 to 499,999 | 500,000 and over |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | $8,922 | $10,151 | $11,093 | $12,961 | $12,960 |
2 | $11,107 | $12,636 | $13,810 | $16,135 | $16,135 |
3 | $13,655 | $15,534 | $16,977 | $19,836 | $19,836 |
4 | $16,579 | $18,861 | $20,613 | $24,084 | $24,083 |
5 | $18,803 | $21,392 | $23,379 | $27,315 | $27,315 |
6 | $21,208 | $24,127 | $26,367 | $30,807 | $30,806 |
7 | $23,611 | $26,861 | $29,356 | $34,299 | $34,299 |